Then, onto what might prove to be a transformational class for me -- Painting Through the Digital Lens.” OMG! A studio art class that integrates digital art processes with studio process. I am not sure a more timely and appropriate class could have come around at this point in my life. Really. The very nice professor gave me the ok to integrate collage processes into my work, too (paper painting - text - images - oh boy!) so I am so excited that I don’t have to “just paint.” Painting alone isn’t my thing, so three weeks of guided creativity, going deep with the processes I love, should be nothing short of a much needed art camp. Mass Art now has a digital lab that includes all sorts of printing facilities, too, that will be great to learn about. Maybe they even have large scale fabric printers? As part of the class enrollment, we have a credit for some printing services. This is gonna be good.
Thank you, Mass Art! Student teaching was a blast and this is an unexpected reward!
Yesterday as I stepped out of the house to walk the dogs, a silver sedan pulled up to the curb and crawled along, with an elderly lady pointing out of the back seat. She was excited to see my house. Her dutiful son pulled over, and the woman, Jeanne Marie Levergood, and her similarly aged companion slowly got out of the car, He was from Pennsylvania, wore suspenders and a hat, which he tipped to me when we met. She told me the story of her great uncle, Bat Lehan, who lived here until the 1950’s. Bat’s brother, her father, was born in this house. His other brother lived in the house next door to me. I could see the memories come flooding back in her eyes as she pointed things out and recalled playing in the yard and the brook behind the house. She posed for several photos in front of the house and the barn, and recalled that Bat used to sell insurance from a rolltop desk in the back room. She was misty eyed. She didn’t even know the address -- just found it by sight as her son, patient but clearly patience-tested, drove the couple around to see family sights.
At one point, the gentlemen (“Allyn with a y”) said quietly to me “You have no idea how much this means to her,” and looked me in the eye with his bright, watery, crystal blue eyes. “Oh yes I do” I replied, with equal thoughtfulness. I truly do.
This house, with all the work that needs to be done, with all history it has wrapped itself around since being built in the 1850’s, is special. Having moved in here when I was about a year old, it is the center of my universe, my ground zero, my origin-place. Of all the things in my world, I am most grateful of being able to share in the history of living here, and hope one day to do the place justice. After the pugs, of course. Then the fun will begin, bit by bit. This house is not a showplace, or modern, or updated (outdated is more like it) -- but it is full of love, creativity, and an appreciation for the sunshine and blue sky that shines in my bedroom window every morning. For the swampy area behind my house where the wild things are. For the barn, For the little buried stone walkways and walls that could be literally a hundred years old. My stable, my little red house.
The lovely woman gave me her phone number. What an interesting person. When giving me her name, she followed it up with “This is my third last name I have to think about who I am today!” She loves textile art and asked where I sell my work. So adorable. She lives in Framingham, but came from Brockton. I mentioned that I am determined to get to the Fuller Craft Museum this summer, and she said she’d love to meet me there. Might be quite a trip. She then told me she collects and makes doll houses, especially from the early 1900’s. I told her I collect dolls and have a few from that time period, and she was delighted. She also belongs to a glass group, collectors and makers alike. Really neat lady.
Life is full of surprises. I think houses hold energy as much as they hold things. This one certainly does. Cheers.